FOREIGN MINISTRY CONDEMNS PM KOIZUMI'S SHRINE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 016819 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/CM, EAP/J AND DS/IP/EAP E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC JA CH SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTRY CONDEMNS PM KOIZUMI'S SHRINE VISIT; SMALL PROTEST OUTSIDE JAPANESE EMBASSY REF: A. BEIJING 16502 ¶B. TOKYO 4625 Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Daniel Shields. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Beijing strongly condemned the visit by Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi to Yasukuni Shrine, with the Foreign Ministry stating that PM Koizumi was "challenging international justice and trampling human conscience." Foreign Minister Li told Japanese Ambassador Miyamoto that PM Koizumi's visit undermines the political foundation for relations between Tokyo and Beijing. Chinese authorities beefed up security at Tiananmen Square and Japanese diplomatic facilities in Beijing. About two dozen demonstrators appeared in front of the Japanese Embassy within hours of PM Koizumi's visit to the shrine. The protesters dispersed peacefully after about 20 minutes. PM Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni took place too late to make China's morning papers, but major Internet news portals gave the story top billing. Online discussion forums buzzed with harsh commentary. Our contacts said the Propaganda Department has not yet handed down coverage guidelines and forecast a predictably negative media reaction. End Summary. MFA: PM Koizumi Offends China, Costs Japan Credibility -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) China strongly condemned the visit by Japanese PM Koizumi to Yasukuni Shrine on the August 15 anniversary of the end of World War II. In a statement (full text para 7),the Foreign Ministry said PM Koizumi's visit "gravely offends" the people in countries victimized by Japan's World War II aggression and accused PM Koizumi of "challenging international justice and trampling human conscience." PM Koizumi's sixth visit to Yasukuni Shrine undermines the political foundation of China-Japan relations and will damage Japan's credibility and national interests, the statement said. ¶3. (C) Japanese Ambassador Miyamoto heard a similar rebuke from FM Li when he was called to the Foreign Ministry to receive China's official protest at 11:00 a.m., according to Japanese Embassy Counselor Kazuya Endo. FM Li's demarche echoed the points made by the Foreign Ministry public statement and reported by Xinhua, Endo said. The tone of FM Li's demarche was "no harsher nor more lenient" than China's previous rebukes over PM Koizumi's Yasukuni visits, Endo said, calling them "about what we expected." FM Li's remarks and the Foreign Ministry statement left room for improvement in bilateral relations once PM Koizumi leaves office, Endo said. The statement concluded that China is "confident" the Japanese people will "help put China-Japan relations back on the track of normal growth at an early date." MFA Japan Division Deputy Director He Zhenliang told poloff that the MFA would have no comment beyond the official statement. Small Protest, Increased Security -------------- ¶4. (C) Amid beefed up security, about two dozen protesters gathered in front of the Japanese Embassy in Beijing at about 10:00 a.m. chanting slogans and criticizing PM Koizumi's shrine visit, Endo said. The protest dispersed after 20 minutes without damage or disruption. Although press lingered in front the Japanese Embassy throughout the day, no further demonstrations occurred. Several dozen plainclothes police and People's Armed Police officers were stationed around the Embassy area, while the road leading to the Japanese Ambassador's residence was blocked off. Security around Tiananmen Square was noticeably enhanced, with busloads of People's Armed Police troops parked nearby in reserve. An Angry Media Reaction -------------- ¶5. (C) The shrine visit occurred too late to make China's morning papers. Not long after PM Koizumi visited Yasukuni, however, major online news portals BEIJING 00016819 002 OF 003 gave the story top billing. The tenor of the coverage was negative and highlighted the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The headline from the popular Sohu.com news site read, "Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Koizumi's persistent homage tramples on the conscience of mankind." The Propaganda Department has not yet provided specific coverage guidelines, said Li Tao (protect),a professor at Tsinghua University School of Journalism and Communications. Nonetheless, he predicted a wave of negative commentary to appear over the coming days. "The visit is no surprise, but that does not mean the criticism in the media will not be very strong," Li remarked. ¶6. (C) Netizens have already started expressing irate opinions. Online discussion forums were filled with hundreds of posts condemning PM Koizumi and Japan. One typically heated post read, "I want to become an atomic bomb to be dropped on Koizumi and to kill this emotionless dog without mourning." Less extreme but still angry chatters called for China and South Korea to break off economic relations with Japan and to boycott Japanese goods. But the forum participants confined their wrath to Japan. We saw no comments linking Japanese actions with U.S. support or encouragement, an occasional feature in past online expressions of indignation against PM Koizumi. Full Text of Foreign Ministry Statement -------------- ¶7. (U) The text of the MFA statement follows. Today, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi paid another visit to the Yasukuni Shrine where the Japanese class-A criminals of WWII are remembered. The Chinese Government hereby lodges a strong protest against this act that gravely offends the people in countries victimized by the war of aggression launched by Japanese militarists and undermines the political foundation of China-Japan relations. The top Japanese WWII criminals who are remembered in the Yasukuni Shrine planned and launched Japanese militarist aggressions and were responsible for committing untold atrocities in Asia and the world in modern history. By insisting on paying homage to the Yasukuni Shrine where these war criminals are remembered in disregard of the concern and oppositions from the international community, Japan's Asian neighbors and the people in Japan, Prime Minister Koizumi is challenging international justice and trampling human conscience. China was the biggest victim of the war of aggression launched by Japanese militarists, the Chinese people suffered enormously from Japan's War of Aggression against China. To see this part of history for what it was and handle it accordingly is the political foundation for the resumption and growth of China- Japan relations in the post-War period. It is also an important prerequisite for China and Japan to pursue a common future. Prime Minister Koizumi has repeatedly offended the Chinese people over the history issue. In doing so, he not only has cost Japan's credibility internationally, but will also lose faith of the Japanese people and damage Japan's national image and interests. The sound growth of China-Japan relations serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples and will promote peace and stability in Asia and beyond. The Chinese Government and people will continue to work untiringly with all Japanese statesmen and people who value and are committed to China-Japan friendship on the basis of the three political documents and act in line with the spirit of "drawing lessons from history for the benefit of future relations" for the peaceful co-existence, enduring friendship, mutual benefits and common development of our two countries. We are confident that the Japanese people, with vision and foresight, will follow the trend of history, work to remove the political obstacle and help put China-Japan relations back on the track of normal growth at an early date. BEIJING 00016819 003 OF 003 RANDT